Volcanic Roots, Modern Rituals: Clase Azul’s Latest is a Smokey Ode to Jalisco

By DaMarko Webster

There’s something magnetic about smoke — the way it lingers, softens, transforms. Clase Azul México’s latest release, Tequila Blanco Ahumado, leans into that alchemy. It doesn’t just introduce a new tequila, it revives a ritual.

Renowned for its commitment to heritage and handcraft, Clase Azul continues its evolution with this subtly smoked expression—a spirit rooted in the volcanic soils of Los Altos de Jalisco, but reimagined through the lens of innovation. Master Distiller Viridiana Tinoco calls the process “a deliberate act,” a studied reinterpretation of mezcal-making traditions meant not to mimic, but to exalt the unique qualities of blue Weber agave through smoke.

And it shows. The agave piñas are slowly roasted in a traditional earthen oven, fired with wood and volcanic stone, a method more often associated with mezcal than tequila. From there, the agave is shredded and fermented using a proprietary yeast culture cultivated from Clase Azul’s own fields—yielding a layered profile of ripe plum, red apple, and lemon zest, all undercut with a silken, smoky finish that never overwhelms.

But no Clase Azul release would be complete without a visual gesture to match the liquid inside. The Blanco Ahumado arrives in a semi-translucent decanter, echoing both smoke and stone. Its copper-toned emblem and matching cap serve as tactile reminders of the flame-kissed process and the richness of Mexico’s artisanal legacy.

In a landscape crowded with flashy bottle designs and experimental mashups, Blanco Ahumado stands apart. It’s not a gimmick—it’s a grounded celebration. A return to the fire. A ritual reborn.